DETERMINANTS OF SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN SURFACEOZONE – A STUDY IN VISAKHAPATNAM CITY OFANDHRA PRADESH, INDIAKAVITHA CHANDU, DHARMA RAJU A., S.V. J. KUMAR AND SUDARSHAN PATROAbstract Ozone is an important constituent of the atmosphere. It is a variable gas and even a minute changes in its composition in the vertical profile of the atmospheric gases can cause far reaching implications vis-Ã -vis warming of the earth and other effects. About 90% of Ozone is found in the stratosphere up to 50km the majority of which is in the height range of 10-16 km. The stratosphericozone protects the earth from the harmful effects of the Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and hence it is known as âgood ozoneâ. The remaining 10% of ozone in the atmosphere hovers in the troposphere and resides on the ground which is a pollutant that is harmful to plants, animals, and humans. This is bad ozone. Hence, Ozone is metaphorically referred to as, âGood up high but bad down belowâ. The paper attempts to analyze the seasonal variation in concentration of ozone at the surface. The role of precursors that help in formation and destruction are studied. The study shows correlation of concentration of surface ozone with precursors. The statistical inferences show an irrefutable influence of meteorological parameters on the concentration of ozone. |